Knowing how to contact a recruiter can help you gain an edge over other job seekers in today’s highly competitive job market. This is a proactive approach to employment hunting where, instead of waiting for a recruiter to contact you based on your resume or cover letter, you reach out first to demonstrate interest and motivation.
In this article, we’ll teach you how to contact a recruiter. You’ll learn what to do before you reach out and how to craft a professional message. Lastly, we’ll give you several examples and expert tips to ensure you succeed.
What To Do Before Contacting a Recruiter: 5 Smart Moves
There are several things you should do before contacting a recruiter to maximize the chances of a successful interaction.
Let’s find out what they are.
#1. Update Your Resume
The first thing you should do before reaching out to a recruiter is update your resume to match the job description. The document should be tailored to the role to perfectly demonstrate your relevant skills and experiences. That way, you’re not just presenting yourself as a qualified candidate but as someone perfect for the role you’re after.
On top of that, you should revise the entire resume to ensure:
Revise your Resume
Your writing is top-notch
You have a professional resume format with all the necessary sections
You’ve optimally highlighted your abilities and work experience
If you want to automate this process and end up with an expert-made resume, you can use our resume builder. It features professional templates, user-friendly customization options, and even AI to help with writing!
#2. Enhance Your LinkedIn Profile
Your LinkedIn profile is one of the first things recruiters will check out if they are interested in your application. You only get one chance to leave a good first impression, which is why you want to have a good LinkedIn profile that stands out and reflects your competence.
Make sure to have a professional photo, an eye-catching headline, and an engaging summary. Besides that, you should also examine the rest of your profile to ensure you’ve adequately showcased your skills and qualifications. After all, recruiters might compare your resume with your LinkedIn profile, so it’s recommended that you polish them to match.
#3. Practice Your Elevator Pitch
An elevator pitch is a brief summary of your career that you should typically be able to deliver in under 60 seconds. Before you learn how to contact a recruiter, you should prepare and polish your elevator pitch to perfection so that it best highlights your unique strengths and value.
A well-prepared and rehearsed elevator pitch can expedite your application process and help you hit the ground running. Practice it with a conversational tone, but be ready to adapt depending on the circumstances.
#4. Polish Your Social Media Profiles
Apart from using LinkedIn, recruiters can go to other social media websites to perform a background check. If your profiles on platforms like X (formerly Twitter) or Instagram are public, you want to revise your posts. Also, make sure that there’s no inappropriate content and that everything reflects who you are as a professional.
#5. Prepare Your Portfolio
If you’re applying for a job that requires a portfolio, make sure that it’s updated with your latest and most significant projects. It should be ready before you contact a professional recruiter so that you can send it at a moment’s notice. You should design your portfolio to be visually appealing and organized, and it should be readily available online.
How to Contact a Recruiter in 5 Easy Steps
Now that you know what to do before contacting a recruiter, let’s examine how you can do that with the help of this step-by-step guide.
#1. Find Their Contact Information
Before you learn how to reach out to a recruiter, you need to find their contact information. You can start by looking at the company’s website. Check out the “About Us,” “Our Team,” “Contact Us,” or similar sections for the recruiter’s name, email address, or socials.
If the information isn’t clearly visible on the website, you can ask the company’s HR department for it. You can also find the recruiter’s contact details on LinkedIn or other professional networking platforms or connect with them during networking events and ask for their information in person.
#2. Research Them
One of the best ways to contact a recruiter is after finding background information about them through research. You should learn as much as you can about their professional history, focus areas, and interests. That will allow you to tailor your message and increase the chances of grabbing their attention.
For example, you can go to their LinkedIn or other social media profiles and see what they post and comment about, as well as what kind of content interests them. Pay attention to their activities so that you can find common ground or information that will help you start a friendly conversation.
#3. Connect With Them on LinkedIn
Sending the recruiter a connection request on LinkedIn is one of the simplest and most effective ways of getting on their radar. You should also send a personalized message with your request, explaining who you are and why you’re contacting them.
You can use this opportunity to directly contact the recruiter via LinkedIn and express your interest in a role in their company or establish rapport and mention that you’ve submitted your resume. Your tone should be professional but friendly, approachable, and natural.
#4. Carefully Craft Your Message
Knowing how to craft your message is one of the key things to learning how to contact a recruiter effectively. The message should be clear, concise, and professional, and it should highlight your key qualifications for the role you’re after.
Leverage your writing skills to show what makes you a good candidate for the job right from the get-go, but you don’t want to overwhelm the recruiter with too much information. Lastly, you should end your message with a call to action to maximize the chances of getting a response.
#5. Know When to Follow Up
Knowing when and how to follow up with a recruiter can help you reiterate your interest in the job. If you don’t receive a response after a week, even if you did everything right, you can follow up with a polite and respectful message while being considerate of their busy schedule.
How to Write a Professional and Effective Message to a Recruiter: 3 Useful Examples
Let’s see how to get a recruiter’s attention through several examples of different types of messages you can send.
#1. Contacting a Recruiter via Email
Let’s start with an example of how to email a recruiter:
Good Example
Subject Line: Reaching out about [specific role] at [company name]
Dear [Recruiter’s Name],
I hope you’re doing well. I am writing to you as I am interested in the [job opening] at [company name]. I have more than [number] years of experience in the [field of expertise], with exceptional proficiency in [unique and relevant skill], which would make me a valuable asset to your esteemed organization.
I’d love to discuss how I can contribute to your goals and add value to your services. My schedule is flexible, so please let me know if you’re available any time next week to have a brief call.
Sincerely, [Your Name]
#2. Contacting a Recruiter via LinkedIn
Now, here’s an example of how to contact a recruiter on LinkedIn:
Good Example
Hi [Recruiter’s Name],
I came across your profile while researching job opportunities in [field or company], and your work finding the right talent caught my eye. I am a [field of expertise] with [years of experience] and a proven track record of [exceptional accomplishment relevant to the job].
I am currently exploring new opportunities, and I am particularly excited about the possibility of joining your organization. Let me know if you have the time to schedule a call anytime next week.
Kind regards, [Your Name]
#3. Contacting a Recruiter After a Networking Event
Here’s how to contact a recruiter if you’ve already met them at a networking event:
Good Example
Subject Line: Following up on our conversation at [Event Name]
Hi [Recruiter’s Name],
It was great talking to you at [Event Name] about [specific topic]. As we discussed, I am a [your role] with [years of experience] looking for new job opportunities where I can apply my [notable skills relevant to the role]. I’d be happy to hop on a call whenever you have the time and explore how I can contribute to your organization.
Best regards, [Your Name]
5 Pro Tips for Contacting and Communicating with a Recruiter
Here are five job recruitment tips to help you contact and communicate with a recruiter more successfully.
#1. Keep It Simple
When reaching out to a recruiter, your message should be concise and simple. Avoid including too many details from your professional career; those are much better emphasized through a resume or cover letter.
Instead, your message should contain key points, like who you are, your area of expertise, the role you’re after, and your biggest strengths. The goal is to grab their attention and go from there.
#2. Don’t Be Too Pushy
You shouldn’t overdo it and become too pushy with your messages. When you know how to contact a recruiter properly, you’re already demonstrating enthusiasm and proactivity.
Instead of sending multiple messages in a short amount of time, give the recruiter some time to respond. They are busy professionals and often have many clients and candidates to work with, so being overzealous with your messages can have a negative effect.
#3. Respect Their Time
As we’ve already mentioned, recruiters are often busy with their tasks and other candidates, which is why you want to show respect for their time. In addition to keeping your message short and simple, you want to avoid calling them without notice or sending too many follow-up messages too soon. Instead, be patient and demonstrate professionalism and maturity.
#4. Personalize Your Message
A personalized message will have a much bigger impact on the recruiter than a generic one. That’s why it’s vital to research the recruiter and find out about their background. That way, you can find common ground or shared interests that you can include in a message to stand out from other candidates.
#5. Respond Promptly
While you should give recruiters some time to respond, you should write back to them as soon as you get an answer. It’s generally best to respond within 24 hours to not miss out on an opportunity. Be prepared to send a resume upon request, schedule a call, or provide additional details about your background.
How to Find a Recruiter in Your Industry
There are many ways to find a recruiter in your industry, with one of the simplest being using LinkedIn’s search bar. You can use keywords like “[Industry] Recruiter” or “[Job Title] Recruiter,” and you’ll find plenty of results, which you can then narrow down using various filters.
Another great option is to leverage your professional network. You can ask your colleagues or mentors for recommendations. These personal referrals are typically of much higher quality than incidental internet finds.
In addition to all that, here are several other proven methods of finding recruiters in your industry:
Methods of Finding Recruiters in Your Industry
Online job boards
Recruitment agency websites
Company websites
Industry events
Industry-specific social media groups or forums
Final Thoughts
Knowing how to contact a recruiter politely and professionally helps you hit the ground running when looking for a job. It’s a proactive method that demonstrates enthusiasm and a go-getter’s mindset.
Remember these tips when emailing a recruiter: prepare before contacting them, write a concise message, and don’t be too pushy if you don’t immediately get a response. Stay alert to write back soon after you receive a response, and you might land a job interview much quicker than expected!
How to Contact a Recruiter FAQ
#1. How long should I wait before following up with a recruiter?
As a general rule, you should wait between 7 and 10 days before following up with a recruiter. This leaves them enough room to respond on their own and doesn’t make you appear pushy once you restate your interest in the role.
#2. How do I send an email to a recruiter?
To send an email to a recruiter, you first need to find out their contact details and background information. That will allow you to craft a professional but personalized message, grab their attention, and maximize your chances of success.
#3. Should I call the recruiter on the phone?
You shouldn’t call the recruiter on the phone unless you’ve already contacted them and scheduled a call. If you’re not sure how to approach a recruiter, it’s usually best to send them a text, email, or message via social media, like LinkedIn, before calling them on the phone.
